Can-opening attachment for ice picks



Feb. 22', 1921. 1,618,530

C. W. HALSEY GANOPENING ATTACHMENT FOR ICE PICKS Filed Nov 10. 1925 wtoz Whmeooao Patented Feb. 22, 1927.

TENT OFFICE.

cnnnrns w. Hersey, or EVANSVILLE, nvmnnn.

CAN-OPENING 'r cHMENT non ICE ICKs.

Applicatipnfiled November 10, 1925. Serial No. 68,113. i

This invention relates to can opening devices.

The object is to provide simple and ellicient means which may bereadily attached to'an ordinary ice pick of the usualconstru-ction including an elongated shank pro videdjwith a point, whereby the attached device, in com mction with the point or prong of the pick, may be operated to sever the headfof a can, and to "permit the free use of the ice pick with the device attached thereto. i

Another object is to provide an attachment to be applied to the shank of an ice ick ii eans, said means being rotatably mounted on and longitudinally slidable along the shank of the pick so as to sever the head of the can, when the device together with the pick is moved ina rotary direction, and to adapt the cutting and guiding means to different size cans.

A further object is to provide means for rigidly holding the device in position on the shank of the ice pick to preventslip'ping of the same during the severing operation, and which will permit of the ready removal of the attachment when it is desired to use the pick alone for chopping ice.

A final objectis "to provide an attachment of this character having cutting and a guiding disc which are oppositely disposed and rotatably and slidably mounted on a carrying or hearing member, the latter having attaching means which readily permit of the reversalof the device on the shank of the ice pick, so that either disc may he, used for cutting the canhead, while'the other acts as a guide, thus effecting a longer life of the device, said discs being soformed and shaped as to require no sharpening at the timeof manufacture or thereafter.

' A full and complete m derstanding of'theinvention may be obtained from a consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming apart of this specification, it being understood that while the drawing shows a practical form of the invention, the latter is not to be confined to strict conformity with 'theshowing thereof, but may be changed or modified, so long as such changes or modifications mark no 'material departure from the salient features of the and including a cutting and a guiding.

' 'diate bowed the-latter is passed through the ears.

invention, as specifically'poi'nted out in the 5 claims hereunto annexed. y

In the drawing, inwhich similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the: several figures Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved device shown attached to an ordinary ice pick and in the operation of severing'a can head. I Figure 2 is a vertical, longitudinal section through the same. a

Figure 3 is a detail perspective viewof' the attachment.

Figure 4 is a somewhat enlarged transverse section showing the device mounted on the shank of the ice pick.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown an ice pick of a well known form, and having anelongated shank 1 formed of proper metal, with the active end sharpened into a point 2, and a wooden or other handle 3 mounted on the other end thereof. The shank 1 is adapted to serveas a carrying or bearing means for the improved attachment, while the point 'Q, is adapted to coact therewith in'the operation of removing the head of the can 4, asshown in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing; 7

The invention consists in an elongated hearing member 5, formed preferably of for a purpose to be'explained.

"The ends of theanember 5 are-fiat and bent up at an angle to provide inclined ears 6,

each of "which is provided with an aperture 7 through which the shank 1 of the ice pick is adapted to be passed from either :direction. The shank is adapted to fit within the semi-tubular hearing member 5, and the engage nent of said sh ank with the walls of the apertures 7 causes a slight flexing of the bearing member by reason of the interme- V portion which 1s slightly defiected by the pointed end: of the shank as Mounted'on the-bearing member andin surroundin relation to the shank of the ice v 23 g pick is a hub or sleeve 8, which may be formed of suitable soft sheet metal stamped into tubular form and provided with spaced flanges 9 between which there is adapted to be mounted a pair of spaced discs 10 formed of pre-tempered, high carbon steel in sheet form. The discs 10 are identical in form and are adapted to bear against the ends oi aftubular spacer 11 mounted on the sleeve 8 and which holds the two discs in proper spaced relation upon the main hub or bearing 8 and abutting against the flanges 9. Each disc is of concavo-convex formation and are oppositely disposed with their concave faces on the outside, and the two discs, together with the hub 8 are free to rotate upon the bearing member or to be moved longitudinally thereon. The dishing oi the discs causes, whichever one is acting as a cutting member, to more nearly assume the curvature of the head of the can 4, and this formation also provides a cutting edge which obviates the provision oi. grinding or otherwise forming a special cutting edge, as the discs may be stamped from a fiatsheet oi metal with a square cut, and after the same is curved or dished, one of the corner edges thus formed is arranged at a greater distance from the axis of the disc, and this right-angular edge has been found in practice to etliciently act to sever the can head, as the discs are formed of relatively thin metal.

With the device applied to the ice pick in the manner described, it is only necessary to force the point of the pick through the head of the can and at the center thereof, as nearly as possible judging by the eye. The twin discs are then moved longitudinally along the bearing member 5 until that disc nearestto the handle 3 is located in a position to bear against the outer circular wall of the can, when the handle is moved downwardly to force the other, or cuttin disc, through the head of the can and acjacent to the edge thereof. The point 2 then acts as a fulcrum, rolling the tin of the can head, surrouiulijug the puncture, in a manner to permit the device to be moved in a circular direction around the can, thus causing the cutting disc to form a neat, clean severance of the tin head, which may be entirely removed, it desired, by completing the circular cut.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, yet strong and durable can cutting device. has been provided which may be easily and quickly applied to an ordinary ice pick for use in removing the heads of Cans, and that the said attachment may be manu tactured at a very low cost. It will be further seen that this simple device may be applied to the shank of the ice pick, either end first, so that either disc may be used as the cutting disc wlnle the other disc acts as a guide, which results in a longer life of the device, the wear being equally distributed between the two discs and, finally, it Will be seen that the device is adapted for removing the heads of cans of different sizes by simply sliding the two discs, together with the hub 8, to a position along the bearing member to accord with the size oi. the can, and that the ice pick may be used as such whether the device is attached thereto or not.

All of the parts of the device, excepting the cutter discs, are made from soft or lower grade oi sheet steel and this allows of manufacture at a low cost of material and labor and the stamped formation of the parts eliminates the expensive waste were the discs, sleeves, etc, to be turned from solid steel bar material.

This application is a companion applica tion with one tiled by me, on even date herewith, ior a patent on a combined can opener and bottle cap remover. I

Vi hat is ilall'licd isz---- I. it can opening attachmei'it tor ice picks comprising an elongated, bearing member having means at its terminals for frictional ly engaging the shank of the pick, said hearing member being sul'islantially U-shaped in crosssection and adapted to partially surround said shank, and a cutter disc mounted on the bearing member to rotate about the latler and the shank and adapted to be moved longitinlinally along same to sever the heads of dill'crently sized cans.

2. A can opening attachment for ice picks ,:omprising an elongated, semi-tubular bearing member adapted to partially surround the shank of the ice pick, said n'icmber being bowed to space the terminals thereof away from the shank, and said terminals being bent at an angle and provided with openings to receive the shank, and a cutter disc mounted on the bearing member and adapted to rotate and to slide thereon.

3. A can opening attachment for ice picks comprising an elongated metallic bearing member curved longitudinally into semitubular form and having its ends bent at an angle thereto and provided with alined apertures to receive the pointed shank of the ice pick and frictionally hold said member thereon, a combined cutter disc and guide disc mounted on the member and surrounding the shank, said discs being connected together and free to rotate and to be longitudinally adjusted to locate the guide disc against the side of a can with the cutter disc near the edge of the can head.

a. A device of the class described, comprising an elongated bearing member having its ends aperturcd and bent at an angle to receive the shank of an ice pick or similar device, said body member bcing bowed from end to end to cause the angular terminals of the member to trictionally engage said shank, a cutter disc rotatably mounted thereon, and a guide disc connected in concentric relation to the cutter disc and adapted to rotate and to be longitudinally adjusted therewith along the bearing member.

5. A device of the class described comprising an elongated, semi-tubular bearing member having its terminal portions fiattened and bent at substantially upright angles thereto, said ends extending towards the open side of the semi-tubular member and having alined apertures for the reception of the shank of an ice pick, said member being bowed from end to end tocause a frictional binding of the shank in the inclined apertures and retain the same thereon, a tubular hub mounted in surrounding relation on the bearing member, and oppositely disposed, concavo-convex discs carried by the hub to constitute a cutter disc and a guide disc, said discs having their convex sides opposite to each other.

6. A device of the class described comprising a bearing member mounted on the shank of an ice pick, and oppositely disposed concave-convex discs earned by the bearing member, said discs being held in spaced relation to each other, whereby one disc may act to sever the can top while the other disc serves as a guide to engage the Wall of the can, said discs being formed of stamped sheet metal with a square-cut peripheral edge and then oppositely dished to cause the inner opposed edge of each disc to constitute a puncturing and severing edge for the device.

7. A device of the class described comprisingv a bearing member adapted to be mounted longitudinally on the shank of an ice pick, and oppositely disposed discs moutned on said bearing member, means between the discs for holding the same apart, means carried by the bearing member to prevent separation of the discs, said discs being formed of stamped sheet metal with a square-cut'edgeand then oppositely dished to cause the inner, opposed edge of each disc to constitute a can-head puncturing and severing edge.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afi'iXed my signature.

CHARLES WV. HALSEY. 

